Nate Diaz hopes he'll get the same ‘push' as McGregor

[Wild]

After being doubted and disregarded as a sacrificial lamb for much of the past two weeks, Nate Diaz made sure his point would be heard the moment UFC 196 came to a close. His second-round submission win over Conor McGregor? It wasn't an upset. Hell, it wasn't even a surprise.

"I knew I was the superior boxer, the superior martial artist," Diaz said at Saturday's post-fight press conference. "I have superior jiu-jitsu. Like I said from the beginning, I have the best training partners in the world in every aspect; in boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and MMA, so nothing surprised me except that I got hit at all.

"I think with a full camp I would've been flawless. But it's whatever, I'm not surprised. He got a lot of push. He's been doing great and he's got a lot of help behind him. I just wish I had the same push, the same help. I've been in this a long time. It'll be nine years, this is my 25th fight here in the UFC, and I've been -- in the last few years -- curious when this is going to pay off. And I think it's time now."

LINK: Nate Diaz hopes he'll get the same UFC ‘push' as Conor McGregor: ‘I think it's time now'

 

[BanMe]

I'm glad someone posted about this. Watching the presser this morning, that part literally broke my heart. Normally, Nate is just kind of daft to listen to, and a lot of it is either bleeped or is so laced with curse words that I gloss over any way. I thought that was a particularly poignant moment, and worse yet, I completely agree with Diaz.

Look, the fight was a win/win for Diaz. Even if he lost, he was getting a payday and that seemed to be what he wanted. A loss to a guy who is a champion, and a champion two weight classes below where they fought, really wasn't going to be detrimental to Nate. He would have gotten a ton of exposure to people who may not have known him that well, and it would have been against a guy that a lot of the people who don't know Nate definitely think Conor is invincible! A win is everything I just said, plus it is a chance to quash the UFC's golden boy, to beat a legit champion, and certainly ups his stock as a "needle-mover."

I have been a Diaz (both of them) fan for a very long time. It's that length of time that made my heart weep for Nate when he made that comment, because he's absolutely right. I'm willing to bet he does WISH the UFC had been behind him as much as they are Conor. Personally, I can see why they haven't, because the brothers are not as marketable as Conor is. The profanity, the unwillingness or inability to enjoy the media basically shoots any ventures into stardom in the foot before it steps out the door. I like the Diaz brothers where they are, if I'm being honest with myself, but I absolutely believe that they need to be better compensated. They ARE the guys you can call and stick into a fight (minus the weed, which Nate has never been busted on, if memory serves me). They ARE the guys who are always ready and always training. Not only will they fight, but they will hype a fight. They hate the world, it seems!

I think that all fighters need to be paid more, but if it came down to me selecting a few to earn more on merit, I'd definitely put both Diaz brothers in that list, if for nothing else other than tenure.

 

[Psychotropic Wanderlust]

Diaz, imo, is an easier push. the guy is real, he doesnt have to fake it like a Conor or Ronda, he just is.

 

[Qat]

Hope so too. But I don't see it. The problem seems to be that the Bros are not easy to work with, and that the UFC is punishing them for it a lot.

But somehow I understand as well, I can see both sides. Putting big stuff up and then have a Diaz not show up, its money down the toilet. I kinda believe if both sides really wanted / put the work in, they would have been pushed hard.

But in a way, I like it this way. Not everybody needs to be a company-man. What I don't like is the obvious turd-shower that was Nate's last contract.
They deserve more, even if they are not open to every interview.

 

[BanMe]

They would make a killing in Bellator. It's just too bad.